I have tried very hard this past year to be a good person. I have paid my taxes on time, supported various charities and given my time to volunteer where I felt I could help. This is my Christmas list that I hope you can fulfill.

Can you please help our elected officials to make good decisions to the benefit of all, not just people in special interest groups or those with money or who are well connected?

Can you please help us to uphold the laws of the land equally to everyone who lives in Canada?

Can you please reduce our debt both provincially and federally so that we don’t continue to pay exorbitant interest rates? This money could be used in so many other places!

Can you help our governments to deal with internal issues and challenges the people are facing first? Surveys from Manulife show that 62% of the people in Ontario are struggling to make ends meet every month and seniors using food banks have increased by 35%. This is a great province so how can this be happening?

Can you please help to budget for “reasonable salary ranges” for top executives in public offices?

Can you help us to reach out to the refugees, by finding private sponsors rather than public money, when we have people here who struggle for health care, enough food and shelter?

Can you help to reduce the gas prices to a reasonable rate in comparison to the cost of oil? The big oil companies continually post “quarterly profits” in the billions while people struggle to heat their homes and put gas in the car to get to work.

Can you help us to follow the example set by two young brothers from Toronto who created a very strong youth movement to make this a better world. They have created the slogan and are delivering on it – “Me to We”. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone could move beyond their wants and to truly look to see how we can make this province what it used to be and to continue to keep Canada the best country in the world. We need to help those at home first, before we offer millions to other countries. We can help, but we need to get a solid footing for the citizens here first.

Are you living your life with zest and doing the things you really want to do? We can sit back and accept whatever comes our way, or we can say “enough – I’m going to create my own future!” I’m not naïve enough to believe this is easy, or that it happens overnight. I do believe that anyone can start today to shift his or her mindset and do something which will put them on a track that has a more positive result than they may be achieving now. When was the last time you really took the time to explore all the things you do well, where your passion lies, what you truly want to do with your life? By doing this, you are taking the first step to moving in a direction that is meant for you. You can determine your destiny by tapping into your talents, creating a plan with definite goals and timelines to move forward.

What are your dreams that you would love to see come to living reality? Don’t start with “that can never happen” unless you have tried to do them already. Think about Edison and how many times he tried to create the light bulb. Think about what would bring you satisfaction that can also provide you with an income to live the life you want. Start there with the end goal in mind and then think about all the pieces that will be necessary to make it happen. Do you need more education? Are you looking after your health? Do you need some guidance and support from agencies that help people find jobs? Do you need financial resources that may be available from the government? Do you network to connect with others to test the waters to check to see what others think of your plans? There are many places and people who can help you. Start to put these things in motion and continue to learn and expand your mind and opportunities.

Don’t sit and wait for the world to come to your door. Think about all that you have accomplished in your life, tap into your skills and talents and build the future the way you would like it to look! Follow your dreams, walk your own path and make a difference!